


fever (oh, what a wonderful way to burn!)

by lonelyheartsclub_com



Category: The Queen's Gambit (TV)
Genre: Autistic Beth Harmon, F/F, Lesbian Beth Harmon, but beltik's annette, this is basically just her thing with beltik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:27:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28966089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonelyheartsclub_com/pseuds/lonelyheartsclub_com
Summary: beth's back in town after the untimely demise of her mother and her loss to borgov. annette's there to help her.
Relationships: Beth Harmon/Annette Packer
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	fever (oh, what a wonderful way to burn!)

Beth sighed, dropping her bags on the floor. Even the rug reminded her of her mother, and the searing pain that followed made her want to sit down. She made her way over to the living room, where there was a coffee cup with lipstick still on the brim. She looked away.

Not that much later after, the telephone rang. "Hello?"

A feminine voice came, slightly lost to the rain. "Beth Harmon?"

"Yes."

"It's Annette Packer? The girl you beat in the Kentucky Championships, 1963? I heard you were back in town after what happened with your mom. I'm so sorry, Beth. I also heard about Borgov. Were you playing white?"

"No. Black." Beth deflected, not really understanding _why_ she felt a tingling sensation because Annette had called her. Annette was the girl she'd had a crush on after they first played. It flickered out, of course. But Beth still blushed whenever she was brought up.

"Ah. Maybe that's better. Look, I was wondering if you wanted some help? Like, you wanted me to come over and we could go over some moves-"

"Yes, I'd like that."

"Great! Um, I can be there tomorrow, since I'm moving into my hotel today. I'll be moving into my apartment soon, so that's alright, we can work something out."

"You can come right now."

And then the dial tone clicked after Annette agreed.

Then the sound of a car pulling up sounded in the driveway, and Beth leaned in the doorway, watching Annette step out of her car. Her hair was still curly, her eyes were still hazel and shining up at Beth, her glasses were still gold-rimmed, and when Annette came up to hug her, she still smelled like honeycomb and vanilla. Beth never forgot the little details about Annette.

"Beth, darlin', it's been far too long! I meant to swing by a couple years back, but..." Annette started, trailing off. 

Beth nodded, sticking her hands in her pocket. 

Their hands brushed, every once in a while whenever they went to move chess pieces. Annette would stutter and withdraw before smiling and saying it was nothing, that there was nothing wrong.

Annette's visits became more and more frequent. Every morning at 7am, she'd show up with books and a smile, and they'd go through plays that Borgov once did, and she'd hold her breath whilst looking at Annette because her feelings, her thoughts, they were wrong.

She wanted to kiss Annette more and more desperately each day. Her mind tried to tell her it was raw attraction, a distraction from her mother's death, but it was a lie. She was in love with Annette, and she fell harder and faster by the second that ticked by.

Annette was a stern sort of girl at times, and Beth had took a couple pills one day, turning the radio up to 100 and ignoring the pain she could feel coursing through her veins. She hummed along to Fever, stripping her jumper off and unbuttoning a button or 3. Annette walked out of the bathroom, and she went red. 

"Radio's a bit loud, don't you think?" she asked tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. 

"Oh, come on, dance with me!" Beth said, outstretching her arms. So Annette fell into them, and she danced along with her, and they looked into each others' eyes. The song seemed to be surprisingly correct, because wherever Annette's bare skin was touching hers seemed to be burning.

Beth came down from her high as soon as the door shut after Annette stepped out of it.

One day, they were out playing by candlelight. And then Annette stood up, brushing her clothes down, and she kissed Beth. "If you don't feel the same way, I'm so-" Beth pulled Annette close, standing up.

"Of course I do, Annie." Beth whispered, and she kissed her again. "You don't have to move into your apartment. You can stay with me."

"Truly?" Annette asked, still breathing hard, and Beth nodded.

So they lived like they were normal. Annette went out to the store to buy groceries, and Beth would cook them food, and they'd dance to radio songs and smoke the same cigarettes. 

Beth had an illness, and it was love.


End file.
